Description
A delightful twist on classic cannoli, these cheesecake bars feature a creamy filling with hints of ricotta, chocolate chips, and a crunchy graham cracker crust.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups finely crushed graham crackers
- ½ cup melted unsalted butter
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 16 oz ricotta cheese
- 8 oz softened cream cheese
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- ½ cup small chocolate chips
- ¼ cup finely chopped pistachios (optional)
- 1 cup whipped cream
- Chocolate chips and pistachios for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Prepare your baking dish by greasing a 9×9-inch dish and lining it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the finely crushed graham crackers, melted butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla essence. Press this mixture into the base of your prepared dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend the ricotta, softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla essence, and lemon zest until smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips and optional pistachios.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over the crust, smoothing it out evenly.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges are firm and the center has a slight wobble.
- Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Lift the cheesecake out using the parchment paper, slice into squares, and top with whipped cream, chocolate chips, and pistachios.
Notes
Bake a day in advance for better flavor. Use room temperature ingredients for a smoother filling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: cannoli, cheesecake, dessert, Italian, bars